Everyday Etiquette: The Gym

I like the gym. I like being around others who are focused on their fitness- it motivates me. But there are definitely some things that I do NOT like about the gym. Just because you are trying to shed some pounds doesn’t mean you get to shed your manners as well! Here are some basic gym etiquette guidelines to go by!

1. Clean your machine off after you use it. It amazes me how this idea alludes so many. Yes, after seeing you sweat for 45 minutes on the elliptical, I would now prefer that you clean it off afterwards. Most gyms have several stations set up around the equipment with towels and cleaner or wet wipes. If you see one of these stations run out of towels, let the gym attendant know! No one likes a sweaty machine.

2. Don’t use the cardio machines for longer than an hour. Some gyms ask that you only use them for 30 minutes. Especially in the busy times, early in the morning before work and in the evening right afterwards, it’s best to keep the time on the cardio machine to a minimum. Unless you’d like to keep getting death glares from those of us who have noticed that you have been on the same machine for going on an hour and a half, respect the rules of the gym.

3. Re-rack your weights. This has to be the number one pet peeve of gym attendees. You’ve made the mess, you should clean it up. Besides being a tripping hazard, now the employees have to rack them all themselves.

4. Don’t get too loud while working out. We all know that you’re working hard. Making repetitive and LOUD grunts is not the way to make friends at the gym.

5. Put your things in a locker -that is opposed to on the floor near the area you are working out. No on wants to crawl around your things to get on to the machine beside you. You hardly want to get your things stepped on by your fellow gym-goers either.

6. Don’t use your cellphone at the gym. How have I not mentioned this one yet? Things that can wait until you leave the gym: texting, phone calls, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Vine, any other random social media outlet. I hate going up to the machine I want to use to see that not only is someone on it, but they’re not ACTUALLY using it – they are just using it to sit on while they text. Keep it with the rest of your things in the locker room.